Shackled in Chains
by DancingDragonBlaze
Summary: It's been ten years since they last met, but the reunion isn't what he had expected. The other was swallowed in metal chains, unable to move, speak, or see, and completely defenseless. He couldn't even control his own body anymore, but he was still HIM.
1. Chains of Friendship

**Konnichi wa!**

**I don't really know where this idea came from. It's going to be a little three part series that I just wanted to get out there. **

**It's a tad confusing I think, but it should work :D**

**I hope!**

**Please enjoy!**

**Shackled in Chains**

**Link One – Chains of Friendship**

"_Naruto…"_

The thought floated – hazy – across his mind. He ignored it.

"_Naruto…"_

Barely a coherent thought.

"_Naruto…"_

A little more urgently this time.

"_Naruto!"_

Azure orbs snapped open and Naruto sat up in his bed, looking around his small apartment frantically.

"What?" He exclaimed to the empty room. "What – who said that?"

"_Naruto…"_

It was barely an elegant whisper of his name in his mind, but he recognized the graceful voice.

"Sa…"

"_Save me, Naruto…"_

"Sasuke?"

"_Save me!" _The voice was softly urgent – pleading and far away.

Naruto leaped out of bed.

"SASUKE!"

Hurriedly pulling on his clothes, he grabbed his headband and rushed out the door, not even bothering to lock it.

He raced around the city of Konoha, searching for a person he hadn't seen for ten years.

Stopping for breath on the roof of a building, he gasped out,

"Sasuke," he panted to the air. "Sasuke – I know you're here – I heard you – where are you?"

"_Naruto…" _The voice was further to the left – to the Hokage tower. Naruto leaped that way.

"Sasuke!" Naruto repeated the name under his breath. "Where are you – tell me!"

"_Save me, Naruto…" _The name held pleading in every letter. The blonde gritted his teeth and urged his legs to go faster.

The soft voice led Naruto to underneath the Hokage tower – to the secret dungeons below it that only Anbu officers were allowed to enter.

Naruto silently walked along the gloomy, stank hallways.

"Sasuke…" he breathed, looking around.

"_Naruto." _The voice was close now – incredibly close – and it led Naruto to a huge steel door, bolted and impossible to open from the inside. Naruto – using his Chakra – opened it, and curiously watched with a touch of urgency as it swung inwards.

His eyes widened.

There was a person sitting at the far wall, but the fact that it WAS a person was barely able to be deciphered. Endless chains and shackles were attached to the person, a metal chain-mail-type armor wrapped around the person's upper body, and Naruto could see the other's hands had been fit inside wrist shackles, which were welded into the metal covering the chest, that were created especially for _those _wrists, forcing the other to cross their arms across their chest in a defensive manner. Every tip of the other's fingers were covered in small metal bowls, fitted snuggly around the fingertips as long, thin tubes ran from each finger to a device above the other's head.

Their legs – from the knee down – were wrapped with metal as well – not a single shred of skin could be seen save for the back of the hands and a shred of the face – forcing the other's legs to press together. A huge metal block encased the other's feet, hiding them from view. Tubes identical to the ones on the fingers ran upwards to the same machine.

Shackles also were attached to their arms, hiding the skin from view. The same thing with the upper legs – Naruto couldn't even tell if the other was wearing clothing or not, let alone what gender they were.

A mask providing the other with anesthesia was pressed into the mouth and nose, and a metal sheet – molded to the other's face and forehead – was pressed into the other's eyes and forehead, wrapping snugly around the other's head. Black hair cascaded down the metal-covered shoulders in waves, draping over the multiple chains and tubs and metals around the other's body. All of the tubes led upwards to that same, strange machine.

The other's face was tilted downwards, to their left. All of the metal glowed slightly in the dim lighting, making the other seem like they were smoldering with an iridescent radiance.

Naruto could only stare at the figure, wondering how long they had been there.

"Who the…?"

"_Naruto." _

The voice was closer than it had ever been before, and Naruto jumped, looking around.

"Sasuke?" He asked the stone room. "Sasuke – where are you?"

"_I'm here." _

Naruto's eyes widened in realization and he turned back to the figure, who hadn't moved – couldn't move – an inch.

"Sasuke?" He breathed, taking a few steps closer to the figure. "Is that you?"

There was silence for a moment.

"_Yes." _

The blonde's eyes narrowed.

"_Save me, Naruto."

* * *

_

"No Naruto – I can't," Tsunade said. Naruto glared at her.

"And why not? How long has he BEEN there, Tsunade? Well? HOW LONG?"

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!" Tsunade roared, slamming her hands onto the desk in front of her, and making Naruto take a step back – the fifth had never been roused to anger so easily. Apparently, this was a touchy subject.

She immediately calmed down, slumping back in her chair and sighing.

"He's a danger to both himself and all around him. Apparently, you didn't realize WHY he was chained up in the first place."

The fire died from Naruto's eyes, and was replaced with curiosity.

"What – why? What happened?"

Tsunade's reply was bitter.

"Ever since he left for Sound, he has been gaining more and more power. Because he used up his Chakra so much, his body found a way to nearly quadruple the amount of Chakra it produced. It will keep producing Chakra even if Sasuke's body hadn't used any. Therefore – eventually – if his body doesn't do anything to ease the pressure in his system, he will either eventually explode from the inside out, or the Chakra will force itself out in a huge eruption of equal proportions. Either way, people for hundreds of miles of the Uchiha would die."

Naruto's eyes widened as Tsunade continued.

"He has no way to control his own power. The very amount of Chakra in his system has severed his brain connections with his body – he can't even control his own body anymore."

"But what about food?" Naruto demanded. "Food, water, going to the bathroom – what of them?"

"Sasuke's amounts of Chakra are so great that it's being converted into life energy even as we speak. To help control the amount of Chakra, some of it is turned into life force. But the body can't change the Chakra fast enough. Even now, the medics have guessed that at the rate Sasuke's body is producing Chakra and transforming it, he can live up to four thousand more years."

Naruto was at a loss for words.

"That's… AMAZING!"

Tsunade shook her head, unimpressed and still bitter.

"Perhaps. But Sasuke's Chakra is providing his body with everything it needs to survive – nutrients, energy, oxygen – everything. Sasuke literally has NO NEED for food, water, or bathrooms anymore. His Chakra takes care of all of that."

"But he knows he's chained up!" Naruto protested. "He talked to me – he told me to save him! He knows he's _locked away_!"

Tsunade snorted.

"Impossible Naruto! Sasuke's Chakra levels have caused him to become so out of touch with reality that he's probably forgotten who any of us ARE! There's no way he could have made a connection with people outside of his own little world!"

_That's not true. _Naruto thought. _He DID speak to me – he DID! _

"You still haven't explained about the chains – or the anesthesia," he commented.

Tsunade sighed again.

"The chains were especially formed to wrap around his body and connect to the Chakra points, assisting in the Chakra level control. We take the Chakra and put it into special containers, incase we need an emergency Chakra transfusion. We've discovered that Sasuke's Chakra is able to mold and shift to suit anyone's Chakra signature. The anesthesia is to keep his bodily functions out of control, and to keep his mind from becoming less than stable."

"So he's a medical tool?" Naruto asked. "A medical tool that you use? You drain him of his Chakra?"

Tsunade merely looked at him.

"Sometimes," she replied softly. "How do you think that we were able to fight off all those Sound ninja with that one forbidden Jutsu three years ago? You know any forbidden Jutsu needs nearly limitless amounts of Chakra, and this one was three times more powerful than the other forbidden Jutsus YOU'VE come across. I was the only one performing the Jutsu – I just used Sasuke's Chakra to assist me."

"So he IS a tool!" Naruto roared. "Dammit Tsunade – he's been a tool ever since he was eight years old – WHY do you have to do it TOO –?"

"Because if I don't, Sasuke will DIE!" The fifth bellowed. "Even now the chains around Sasuke are becoming weaker and weaker as they have to drain more Chakra. If ANY sort of outside stimulus causes him to awaken, the chains WILL shatter and then we'll all DIE! I can't ALLOW you to see him, Naruto! If he awakes because of you, we're all DONE for! THAT'S why I didn't tell you about him! THAT'S why I kept him here for seven years and didn't tell you! It would only end in disaster! Sasuke can't CONTROL his own body anymore Naruto! He's completely and totally _HELPLESS_!"

Naruto was shocked into silence at the sudden roar. Sasuke? _HELPLESS?_

There were no sounds from either side, after a moment.

Tsunade seemed to realize what she had done.

"Naruto –"

"I'm sorry for barging in, Hokage-sama," Naruto swiftly cut her off, giving her a stiff bow before turning and leaving, resisting from slamming the door on his way out.

Tsunade slumped into her chair again, burying her head in her arms.

_Awe – CRAP…_

Naruto reemerged in the huge stone dungeon, Tsunade's words echoing in his ears.

_Can he really NOT control his own body anymore…?_

"_Naruto?" _Sasuke's voice breathed to him. Naruto swallowed and walked forward.

"Yeah," he breathed to the room. "Can you hear me?"

"_I can hear your thoughts. I can. What's troubling you?"_

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked away. Sasuke sensed his discomfort.

"_Oh… not exactly what you were looking forward to, is it?" _

"It what she said true?" He asked thickly. "Are you really helpless?"

There was silence between them for a moment. Sasuke's body remained still.

"…_Yes – she speaks truth. It wasn't my decision. My body began producing more Chakra to meet my demands, and now… it can't stop. She was right though. Right now, this machine IS the only thing keeping all of us alive."_

"Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked bitterly. "Why didn't you talk to me before this? Why did you wait SEVEN _FUCKING YEARS?_"

"_My Chakra gave me telekinetic abilities in response to my isolation," _Sasuke replied. _"However, I didn't discover it until recently, and it's taken me a while to find out how it worked. I'm sorry Naruto – if I HAD a way to speak to you from the very start, I would have – you know that." _

Naruto swallowed.

"Yeah… but how?" He asked. "How do you talk to me?"

A mental chuckle tickled the inside of his head.

"_It's based on the bonds we share. If there is a powerful bond between us, I can find you more easily. You were the first person I saw, and I spoke to you immediately." _

"Bonds?" Naruto repeated. Then he smirked. "So we DO have something between us."

The inside of Naruto's head grew pleasantly warm – was Sasuke smiling?

"_Yes – we DO have something between us. A bond that was never broken. We're bound by a chain, Naruto."_

The blonde grinned.

_I will get you out!_

"Yeah," he replied. "A chain of friendship."

_I swear!_

**End Link One – Chains of Friendship**

**Yep – three part series. **

**Still don't know where this came from.**

**But I remember wanting a scenario were Sasuke was completely helpless and blind, wrapped in chains and totally disoriented. **

**Thank you, Imagination, for coming up with something so fast:D**

**Sasuke is SEXY wrapped in chains. XD**

**Please review! I know it's weird, but…**

**Hey – I'm notorious for coming up with strange ideas. XD**

**And the Jutsu that Tsunade used... No idea. There probably ISN'T one. But I don't know. **

**And the forbidden Jutsus Naruto has come across... again, no idea. Let's just pretend we ALL know what I'm talking about, okay? XD**

**Please review!**

**Ja ne!**

**DancingDragonBlaze**

**AKA**

**DDB**


	2. Chains of Power

**Konnichi wa!**

**I reposted this chapter. Because the lines in between the scenes didn't show. XP**

**Well this chapter is pretty cool, I guess. Chains of Power aren't actually SHOWN, but they ARE mentioned…**

**I have decided that there WILL be an epilogue as well, so… yeah:D Four chapters!**

**AH! -dies-**

**I'm SO sorry everyone! I know I haven't updated in FOREVER! was just being a bitch and it wouldn't let me update my stories! WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! -cries-\**

**-recovers-**

**And it SNOWED! In Texas, in APRIL, it SNOWED! GOD IS TOTALLY TELLING US SOMETHING! NEVER HAS IT SNOWED IN TEXAS IN APRIL BEFORE – IT'S AMAZING!**

**But unfortunately, it made my romance muse's – Gaara in the Ninja Centerfold form – sand freeze over and fall to the ground. She was hiding out in the bathroom for six hours until the temperature went back up.**

**But that was after Jiraiya and Kakashi and Kankuro snapped her. THOSE pictures are probably all over the internet by now. **

**So now I just have my angst and gore muse – Naruto – working for me, because he is like a portable radiator and Gaara is no longer talking to me.**

**Yeah – she's pissed. I'm the one who told those three that her sand freezes over and falls when it snows, after all. -.-;;**

**I hope you like it you guys!**

**Link two everyone!**

**Shackled in Chains**

**Link Two – Chains of Power**

Kakashi and Sakura still didn't have a clue.

It had been two years since Naruto had discovered Sasuke. Tsunade had refused to speak to him on the subject, and Naruto was forced to visit Sasuke in secret – in the cover of night. Kakashi and Sakura hadn't been notified – for some reason, Naruto wanted to keep the knowledge of Sasuke's imprisonment to himself. He wanted to deal with it on his own. He still managed to fulfill his regular missions, and he was on his way to becoming an Anbu officer, and as far as he knew, Tsunade had no clue that he was still visiting Sasuke. But more often than not, however, Sasuke would use his abilities to draw Naruto into sleep, and talk with him in the realm of dreams.

That's where they were now. Naruto could see Sasuke – the other was sitting on a stool of gray clouds as a fog rolled about his legs, and Naruto rested on a warm boulder, surrounded by wildflowers in a meadow.

They were separated by a huge wall of glass.

Naruto raised his hand and set it on the clear object that – in reality is so easily shattered – but in dreams was as hard as diamond.

"_So there's no way to break this?" _He asked for the umpteenth time since he had first made contact with Sasuke in the realm of dreams.

Sasuke smiled softly and daintily shook his head, his long black curls waving slightly with the movement.

"_No. That shows quite clearly the boundary we share. Telekinetic abilities are powerful, surely, but they can only do so much – they are still bound by the rules of the earth. If there are boundaries between us in the real world, then those boundaries are reflected in the world of dreams." _

Sasuke's voice was soft and oh so elegant. Naruto vigorously shook his head.

"_No! This is MY dream! I should be able to do ANYTHING I want here!"_

Sasuke surveyed him, sympathy and understanding and hurt reflecting in his narrowed eyes and furrowed eyebrows.

"_I understand your frustration Naruto, but there is no way around it. Perhaps if I was awake, there wouldn't be this glass. But right now, my Chakra is creating a shield to cut me off from the rest of the world, and that includes the world of dreams. It's only my will alone that allows me to talk to you."_

Naruto's hand slid down the glass as he glared at a pink daisy nearby.

"_And… your body is completely out of your control – Tsunade said that."_

Sasuke gave him a soft, wry smile.

"_As I had said before – she is right. My Chakra has burned away every nerve in my body – it's completely out of my reach. I can't even move my own eyelids anymore. My survival instinct alone is what's keeping my heart beating. Without it, I would die. My brain has no connection with the rest of my body – my Chakra is running all of my internal organs. Its chain of power is intense."_

Naruto's glare on the little pink daisy intensified.

"_But that makes no sense! If you have no connection with the rest of your body, how come you're HERE? In front of me? Sitting? Shifting? Talk–?"_

Naruto's jaw snapped shut. It was then he realized that Sasuke's lips hadn't opened once during the entire conversation.

Sasuke surveyed him silently for a moment and then his shoulders slumped. He looked down at the hands in his lap.

"_This version of me… is a creation my mind made – a creation from my own chains of power. It has nothing to do with my body. This is something my mind created for you to interact with and understand – something it made for you to see."_

"_Seeing isn't enough," _Naruto blurted out, both hands on the glass in front of him as he rested his forehead against the surface, eyebrows furrowed. _"Seeing you only makes it worse! I want to be able to BE with you, Sasuke!" _He raised his head and looked up at the other, who was staring – pleasantly shocked – at the blonde. _"This fucking glass in between us only makes me feel like we're farther apart than we ever were! We might be merely feet – hell – INCHES away from each other here, but in reality we're miles apart! THIS ISN'T FAIR!"_ Naruto cried out, his eyes beginning to burn. _"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS!"_

"_But I have to, Naruto." _The blonde's eyes widened and he raised his head, staring up at the other. Sasuke's head was cocked at him, the black orbs sparkling with unshed, understanding and sympathetic tears. _"I must. My isolation is what's keeping you – all of Konoha – alive. If I awaken I really WILL unintentionally kill hundreds – Tsunade knows it, and that's why she put me where she did. She had no other choice. The chains of HER power only stretch so far."_

The anger faded from Naruto's eyes, and he slumped, feeling absolutely helpless.

"_But there HAS to be a way…" he breathed. "There just HAS to be."_

Sasuke didn't say a word for a moment.

"_Perhaps – but you'll have to be the one to find it. With all my telekinetic power, I can't control my own Chakra – the chains around me are as strong as I am weak."_

"_But maybe we can find a way!" _Naruto exclaimed. _"Some sort of Jutsu or something –"_

"_Naruto, I'm going to be very truthful with you," _Sasuke cut him off calmly, his black eyes gazing at the blonde with a strange, all-knowing intensity. _"There is NO Jutsu that could handle the sheer AMOUNT of Chakra my body is capable of producing. Even if you attempted such a thing, the most powerful Jutsu would break in about five minutes – **there is no way**."_

Naruto merely looked up at him. Sasuke gave him a small, grim smile.

"_It's okay, Naruto. I'm fine here. I just wanted to speak to you again – I just wanted to hear you again – that's all. I'm perfectly fine with my isolation. As long as I can talk with you, I'll be fine."_

"_But how?" _Naruto managed to ask. _"How can talking to me make everything all right?"_

A small smile appeared on Sasuke's lips.

"_Because your voice saved me, Naruto."

* * *

_

"_Kyuubi?"_

"**_What is it, kittling?" _**

"_What Sasuke said… is it true?"_

"**_Ah – aye, kittling. He speaks truth. He can't control his own body anymore."_**

"_Because of the sheer amounts of Chakra in his system, right?"_

"**_That's right."_**

"_Kyuubi… you're powerful. Can't YOU of all people or demons do SOMETHING to help Sasuke?"_

"**_How do you suggest I help him, kittling? He said it himself – there's no Jutsu that can take the levels of Chakra he possesses."_**

"_Maybe not a Jutsu humans can perform, but what about one only a demon can do? YOUR Chakra levels are nearly limitless too Kyuubi – there must be some way you can suppress all that Chakra of his."_

"…"

"…"

"…"

"_Kyuubi?" _

"**_Aye, kittling – there might be a way. The Uchiha's Chakra is only like that because he used it up so much in the past, and now his body can't revert back to its original production rate, right?"_**

"_Right."_

"**_Well… I HAVE heard of a Jutsu we demons can use. It requires an intense amount of Chakra on both sides, but that shouldn't be a problem for me or the Uchiha – the chains of power HE possesses are nearly as limitless as mine. The Jutsu involves a sacrifice, however – a person willing to possibly give up their own mental state in order to let the other regain control over their body and their Chakra production. It's a forbidden Jutsu, because it's so dangerous."_**

"'_Give up their own mental state'? What does that mean?"_

"**_Well, it's hard to explain – but I'll attempt. In order to let a person regain control of their body, the sacrifice must use their own mental capabilities and chains of power to suppress the other's Chakra using their own long enough to let the other take control again. Unfortunately, the other's Chakra will retaliate, and if there's a lot of it, then it's going to be an extremely hard fight – a battle of wills, if you will."_**

"_And I'm the sacrifice?"_

"**_If you want to be, kittling. You ARE the closest to the Uchiha brat, but if you don't win the fight, or if the Uchiha doesn't take control in time, you WILL be mentally scarred for life. The backlash from the chains of power would be incredible – you might never be able to compromise a single coherent thought again."_**

"…"

"…"

"…"

"**_Kittling?"_**

"_Let me think about it, Kyuubi."

* * *

_

"Naruto?"

He looked up to see his pink-haired teammate looking at him worriedly. He waved her concern off.

"Don't look so worried, Sakura-chan! I'm fine!"

His aura turned dark again as soon as her back turned to him.

_I wish. _

He left Anbu training early, and Kakashi was wise not to comment.

_I wonder what's going on inside his head. _The Jounin thought.

Naruto went straight to his apartment, and then he stared at the doorknob for a few moments, his fingers automatically groping in his pocket for the keys, but his mind was elsewhere.

_A sacrifice… _

He weighed the odds as he stood outside his door.

_If I do it, and I lose, then I become mentally retarded and my chances of becoming Hokage – or even a ninja for that matter – will be zip. I'll be stupid until the day I die! However… I DO have Kyuubi on my side – we COULD win. I could also wait until I become Hokage and THEN try to get him out, but Tsunade STILL has at least five more years to go, damn her, and I can't WAIT that long to get him out! He's already been in there for NINE YEARS!_

Even right then he ached for the raven. It had been years since he had seen the other's face – even the battle at the Valley of End was better compared to this emptiness Naruto was feeling now. At least the Sasuke he had seen that day was real – at least he could touch THAT Sasuke – at least that Sasuke hadn't been on another side of a glass that didn't want to break – at least that was Sasuke's TRUE face…

His fingers had found the keys, but he didn't pull them out of his pocket. He stared at the doorknob for a few more seconds.

"_Save me, Naruto…"_ the urgent cry from two years back floated across his mind, and his eyes narrowed.

He whirled and bolted to the Hokage dungeons.

"_KYUUBI!"_

"**_Yes, kittling?"_**

"_I'm ready!" _

**End Link Two – Chains of Power**

**Kyah! I'm excited:D :D :D :D **

**I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**And, because I'm considerate, if you celebrate it, happy Easter holiday!**

**Me… I really don't care for it that much. Thank God for Jesus and everything, but going to Church is worthless if you always fall asleep in the middle of it. **

**Church is never interesting for me, what can I say?**

**Please review!**

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	3. Chains of Love

**Konnichi wa!**

**OMG! This is the last chapter! WOW! That took forever to write! XD**

**Me and my parents are going up north to Oregon and Washington n stuff over the summer. Where we are right now doesn't have any signal, so by the time I post this, it'll probably be a few days after. **

**Right now, we're in Prairie Creek State Park – 30 miles from the southern Oregon border! There's so much wildlife here, but the only reason I'm able to finish writing the chapter is because I'm mooching off the free electricity from the bathrooms! XD I'm right outside the door to the bathroom right now, and everyone who passes by is looking at me weird! XD What can I say? Gotta do what I gotta do. **

**But I wish all of you could see it! The trees here are so TALL! O.O It's absolutely amazing! The biggest Redwood Tree is… if I remember correctly, 376.8 feet tall! Or was it 367.8 feet…?**

**We spent last night in... I think… Patrick's Point State Park to the south. With a little trek downhill, we got our own private beach! XD I was sunbathing while Mom looked for Jade and Dad looked for cool looking driftwood. :D**

**While we've been here, we saw deer and jackrabbits and really cool looking birds! We've even seen a couple of foxes! XD The Kyuubi is chasing after us! OMG! O.o **

**Haha:D**

**Anyway, I wish all of you could see it! It's absolutely gorgeous beyond all comprehension – this is as good as nature gets! It's a little chilly here, but that's okay!**

**Here's the last link before the Epilogue!**

**Shackled in Chains**

**Link Three – Chains of Love**

Naruto snuck into Sasuke's cell without hesitation or delay, and he merely stood there for a moment, drinking in every inch of the metal shackles that bound Sasuke – that tore the Uchiha away from him.

"I'm here, Sasuke," he breathed to the air. "I'm here."

A warm sensation grew in the front of his brain.

"_I know," _the Uchiha replied softly. _"But something's different – what's wrong?" _

Naruto didn't answer for a moment – he walked forward – to where he was nearly touching Sasuke's metal-covered knees.

"I want to save you," he murmured. "I want to be able to touch you again – to see your face – to hug you. I know we were never that intimate before, but…" Naruto felt himself flush. "I just… want to. I want to get you out, and I never want to let go."

Sasuke didn't laugh as Naruto thought he would.

"_That's… understandable, I suppose. I'm touched Naruto, that you feel that way, but my isolation is for the best. Besides, I can't control my body anymore – what good will come out of releasing me?" _

"Oh, plenty of good, Sasuke," Naruto murmured, mostly to himself. "Just wait."

"_**Are you sure about this, kittling?" **_The Kyuubi asked him. _**"You could be mentally crippled for life if this doesn't work."**_

"It will work," Naruto said out loud to the stone dungeon. "If Sasuke cares for me like I do him, then it will work."

He sensed Sasuke's questioning silence.

"_Naruto… what are you talking about?" _

The blonde had to grin.

"You'll see," he murmured. "Just wait."

The answering silence turned into one of realization.

"_Naruto… you're not planning to…?"_

"I told you before Sasuke," Naruto replied. "You'll find out in a few minutes."

"_**Well, more like seconds, actually," **_the Kyuubi corrected, making Naruto roll his eyes.

"Just please do it, Kyuubi," he breathed.

Sasuke's voice was urgent in his mind.

"_Naruto – don't you dare! I sense it – you're about to do something dangerous! I forbid you to do it!"_

"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?" Naruto instantly demanded. "You're shackled in chains to the hells – you can't DO anything to stop me!"

There was stunned silence for a moment.

"_Naruto…" _Sasuke was in – Naruto realized – awe, not anger. _"You've grown up."_

There was another moment of silence, and when Sasuke spoke again, pride filled his mental voice.

"_This is your life now – no regrets, yeah? Do what you want."_

Naruto smiled, knowing Sasuke would sense it.

"I will," he replied. "But I'm going to need your help."

"_I'll do what I can. What are you planning to do?"_

Naruto closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

"You'll see," he murmured. Then he shifted slightly. "Go, Kyuubi."

He willed the kitsune's power to surge through him, allowing his eyes to bleed red and his nails to sharpen.

_I understand now. I know what this feeling is._

He felt his lips move – Kyuubi was chanting the words needed for the Jutsu.

_I know now. I know that in order to save Sasuke – to see his face again…_

He raised his hands.

_I'll sacrifice my humanity. _

Sasuke realized what he was trying to do.

"_No – Naruto – DON'T –"_

Naruto's fingers laced together, completing the circle and allowing the Jutsu to commence.

_Because…_

In his mind's eye, he saw a huge wall of flame – the Kyuubi's Chakra – surge forth, crashing into Sasuke's body and raging to meet the offending blue tidal waves – Sasuke's own, rebellious Chakra – head on, the resulting mental explosion making Naruto wince. Terror rang through Sasuke's mental voice.

"_NARUTO!"_

_I love him that much._

"_NARUTO – PLEASE GOD – __**STOP**__!"_

"I'll save you, Sasuke," Naruto breathed. "But I need your help. Please…" his eyebrows furrowed as Sasuke's Chakra gathered itself up and threw itself against the Kyuubi's own flaming energy. "If you care about me – you'll help me! You can do it, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's reply was urgent and dismissive.

"_Naruto! I can't! I can't control my Chakra at all – I can't BE saved!"_

Naruto growled as he watched the battle of Chakra, eyes closed and his entire body gently shaking.

"Baka – yes you can!" He exclaimed. "If I have to sacrifice my humanity to save you – I'll do it!"

_You mean THAT much to me!_

"_No – Naruto DON'T –"_

"YOU JUST SAID THIS IS MY LIFE, SASUKE!" Naruto roared. "YOU JUST SAID I COULD DO WHAT I WANTED! THIS IS WHAT I WANT, SASUKE! _I WANT TO SAVE YOU!_"

Sasuke was stunned into silence, and Naruto felt his chest wrench in pain as the blue wave slammed against the fire of the Kyuubi's Chakra, driving it back and coming closer to Naruto's inner self – to his mind. With a powerful surge of will, Naruto sent the demon fox's Chakra back the way it came, crashing back against the Uchiha's Chakra. He felt his limbs weakening with the effort to keep the flow of Chakra controlled but powerful.

"_**I'm doing all I can, kittling!" **_The Kyuubi cried after a few minutes of intense fighting between the two Chakras. _**"The power of his Chakra… it's unbelievable!" **_

"_Keep trying, Kyuubi!" _Naruto replied. _"We HAVE to save him!" _

The Kyuubi drew from his will and channeled that power to her Chakra once more, sending it to battle against Sasuke's Chakra once more.

"Sasuke!" He cried out loud. "You're the only one who can do it! Save yourself or remain here to rot for eternity! I miss you so much Sasuke!" Naruto was close to crying now. The fight suddenly seemed hopeless as the blue wave rose up higher than the Kyuubi's Chakra and slammed down, nearly obliterating the demon fox's Chakra and coming oh so close to Naruto's inner self. "I want to see you again – I want to hold you like I never have! And in order to do that – in order to save you…" From the very bowels of his stomach, he yanked Chakra upwards and threw it at the blue wave, sending it back once more. Sweat coated his body, and his entire frame was shaking violently. "I'LL SACRIFICE MY MENTALITY _AND _MY HUMANITY!"

Sasuke finally spoke, voice confused but frantic.

"_Naruto… if you lose your mind, you'll never have a chance to become Hokage! Why are you putting all of this on the line for me?" _He demanded.

Naruto smirked grimly, wincing at the pain the Chakra depletion was causing.

"Because you mean that much to me," he breathed.

_ALL FOR YOU –_

"_NARUTO –!"_

Using the determination that rose with that sentence, Naruto sent a final wave of Chakra forward, crashing it into the blue tsunami with so much force that it broke the wave, sending it slamming down on top of itself as the Kyuubi's Chakra surged forth, nearly covering the blue flame entirely.

"_**KITTLING!" **_The Kyuubi cried as a small sphere of light burst from behind the falling blue wave. _**"THAT'S THE UCHIHA'S MAIN OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CHAKRA FLOW! TOUCH THAT AND YOU'LL MAKE HIM TAKE CONTROL AGAIN! HURRY!" **_

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Naruto made his inner self raise a hand, passing over the interlocked Chakra energies and racing towards the small sphere, stretching out a hand. He was so close – so close he could see the light streaming in between his fingers.

"_THIS IS YOUR CHANCE SASUKE!"_ His inner self cried. _"THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE! HURRY!"_

The Kyuubi's voice rang shrilly through his mind.

"_**KITTLING BEHIND YOU –!"**_

Naruto's inner self turned to see the blue wave had managed to yank itself out of the Kyuubi's hold, and before he knew it, the Chakra had slammed into him, sending out powerful electrical sparks all throughout his mind, making him scream out in agony.

Sasuke's cry rang through his mind.

"_**NARUTO!**__" _

The blonde fought against it, but he was so weak – he had no Chakra left to fight with. He could feel not only his mentality being stripped from him – but also his life.

"_TAKE CONTROL, SASUKE!" _He bellowed. _"TAKE CONTROL NOW!" _

"_NARUTO!" _Sasuke cried out in return – the blonde was sure the other was crying. _"NO! I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!" _It didn't take much to imagine tears flowing down the pale face. _"I WON'T LET YOU DIE!" _

The blue wave had almost completely swallowed him – his body was numb with pain. Sasuke's cry was ragged with terror and determination all at once.

"_**NARUTO!**__"_

Long blinded eyes flew open.

The last thing Naruto's inner self saw was the small sphere of light bursting, blinding him as he was swallowed whole.

Naruto opened his eyes in the real world to see a powerful light – the same light, in fact – flowing from Sasuke's form, and a sudden burst of energy was powerful enough to send him off his feet and crashing to the floor.

His ears dimly registered the sounds of metal chains falling to the floor in a heap, but his mind was blank – it was impossible to register anything.

The glow didn't fade, and Naruto didn't move as he heard soft footsteps padding towards him.

A powerful presence stopped at his side, but he didn't have the energy to look up.

"_Naruto."_

The word – his name – was still in his head, but it was spoken with such a powerful, holy elegance that it seemed to fill his entire being, making his head clear and his eyes deglaze.

A hand – warm and soft – pressed against his back, and he felt his strength returning.

The presence – whatever it was – straightened from where it had been kneeling beside him.

"_Naruto…" _his name again. _"Please Naruto – stand up."_

Wait – that voice was familiar.

_No… _

Slowly – as if unable to raise his head and see for his own eyes – he stood up and kept his gaze averted, hiding his eyes from the bright light.

_It can't be…_

"_Naruto…" _

That voice again.

_Can it…?_

He raised his head, and thought he saw a god.

Soft black eyes gazed at him comfortingly as long black hair cascaded down thin, frail shoulders. Clothes hung off a lithe frame, and blue sparks of electricity crackled down pale arms as the light seemed to burst from the other's very soul.

Naruto's eyes went wide.

"Sas…" he trailed off, unable to talk.

_This has to be a dream._

The other smiled at him.

"_Naruto…" _the other's mouth didn't move. _"Thank you. Because of you – your chains – I'm back to the way I used to be."_

Naruto blinked.

"Chains?" He repeated. "No – I never wanted to chain you down – I wanted to free you!"

The other's mouth opened in silent laughter as he daintily shook his head.

"_It was because of your chains that I was able to be released – silly Naruto." _

"But where are they?" Naruto asked dumbly. "I can't see anything – what chains?"

The other smiled warmly at him.

_It was the chains of your heart that freed me, Naruto. I'm shackled and bound and chained – but by nothing I despise or wish to be rid of."_

Naruto didn't understand – couldn't understand.

"What… what are you saying?"

The other merely looked at him for a moment before raising a hand and reaching forward. Naruto half expected to have that hand be pushed back by glass, but he was severely surprised when that hand touched his cheek – cupped it, caressed it with soft fingertips.

"_I'm saying that you saved me Naruto – you saved me with chains of love." _

With that, he leaned forward, both his and Naruto's eyelids fluttering shut.

"_I'm bound to you, Naruto – always and forever."_

Lips touched the blonde's – solid and soft and pure. Naruto felt like weeping as his arms incased the smaller body – the body that was as real as it could ever get.

"_I love you, Naruto."_

_Sasuke…_

The battle of Chakras finally catching up to him, Naruto passed out, the other's smell – one of steel and cloud and rain – washing over him.

_I love you too._

**End Final Link – Chains of Love**

**WAAAAH! Mushiness beyond all mortal comprehension! –cries at the beauty of it all-**

**I absolutely loved this chapter – I really did! –cries some more- But it took so long to WRITE! You wouldn't believe how many days I would open up this file, read over what I had already wrote and just stare at the screen like someone who just had their BRAIN sucked out! XP UGH!**

**But, I got some inspiration last night, so I started writing on it. I couldn't finish it, however, because my computer ran out of batteries because we didn't have hook ups where we were staying last night. XP**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The epilogue –cries- is up next!**

**-hides behind Kakashi, crying-**

**-Kakashi clears his throat-**

**Kakashi – Uh… DDB…**

**DDB –sniffles- Huh? What?**

**Kakashi – Don't cry, okay? It doesn't suit you.**

**DDB – Sniff… Okay.**

**-Itachi sniffs distastefully-**

**Itachi – Tsk. Wimp.**

**-DDB rounds on Itachi- **

**DDB – SHUT UP SHMAN-CHAN! I AM NOT A WIMP!**

**-Itachi looks blankly at her-**

**Itachi – The tears on your face say differently, **_**WIMP**_

**-DDB merely looks at him for a moment, and then she bolts back over to Kakashi and buries her face in his chest, screaming about how she was going to tear out Itachi's heart, shove it down his throat and smile as she watches him choke on it.-**

**-Kakashi pats her back comfortingly.-**

**Kakashi – It's okay DDB – really. Don't cry, okay?**

**DDB –sniffles- Sniff… okay. Can I watch you and Sasuke make out? That'll make me feel a lot better.**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – **_**WHAT**_

**-DDB wipes the tears from her face, grinning at the look on Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart's face.**

**DDB – Haha! You're funny Sasuke!**

**-Sasuke from Treacherous Heart grumbles and looks away, failing to see Kakashi, who is sneaking up behind him.-**

**-DDB turns to readers-**

**And before I forget – I have other Forum out! Something about Sasu-baby and Ice Princesses… and something like that. Look for it, okay? I only have one topic, but I WILL GET MORE!**

**I'm sure you can get to the forum from a link in my profile somewhere.**

**And I love even MORE now! WE GET USER PICS! XD**

**I LOVE IT!**

**Now please excuse me – I must go watch Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart get molested by Kakashi. –turns around to eagerly watch the molestation, camera in hand-**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – KAKASHI IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND RIGHT THERE ONE MORE TIME BY GOD I SWEAR I'LL SCREAM –!**

**Grope.**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**

**DDB – Sasuke, you scream like a little girl.**

**Kakashi –grins- No. –gropes Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart again- Like an UKE.**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – BOTH OF YOU **_**SHUT UP**_**! GAH! **_**KAKASHI YOU PERVERT STOP TOUCHING ME THERE**_

**-Kakashi – obviously – doesn't.-**

**Kakashi – You know you like it, Sas-UKE.**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – DAMN YOU KAKASH– GAH! KAKASHI YOU ASS! STOP GROPING ME! **

**-Kakashi then begins to sing 'Dirty Little Secret', by The All-American Rejects, and Sasuke moans in agony-**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – OKAY OKAY! I'LL HAVE SEX WITH YOU! JUST STOP SINGING!**

**-DDB flips the recorder off, rewinds and then replays Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart's submission.-**

_**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – OKAY OKAY! I'LL HAVE SEX WITH YOU! JUST STOP SINGING!**_

**-There is silence for a moment. Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart glares at DDB, who exchanges grins with Kakashi.-**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – DDB, I HATE YOU, YOU DAMNED LITTLE BIT– EYAH!**

**-Kakashi launches himself on top of Sasuke, grinning.-**

**Kakashi – Remember Sasuke-baby? You sub-mit-ted! –singsong voice-**

**-Sasuke from Treacherous Heart looks up to the sky.-**

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – God, if you love me, kill me now!**

**Silence.**

…

**Sasuke from Treacherous Heart – I KNEW IT –!**

**-Kakashi then begins to molest/rape Sasuke-from-Treacherous-Heart, and DDB turns back to audience, grinning from ear to ear-**

**Review?**

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	4. Epilogue: Unbound in Promise

**Konnichi wa!**

**Woo – oh my Lordy ladies and gentlemen – the epilogue is here! –sniff- **

**Wow… this took such a long time!**

**I hope this epilogue is satisfying for you guys. If not, tough luck – I'm happy with it, so I ain't changing it. :P**

**We're near the borders of Yosemite now – there are so many HOT guys in this camp we're staying at! 8D**

**Hot guys that don't speak English! XP **

**They're speaking German. It seems like the entire camp has been taken over by sexy, six-pack-carrying, German-speaking hot guys. –rolls eyes- Tsk. Go figure. **

**There is a magnificent AU fanfic, Sasuke-centered. It's called Fire and Ice, and it is absolutely AMAZING! My writing PALES in comparison to this story – no joke! Please go read it and review. The writer said it was discontinued because she/he thought it was too out of proportion from the Naruto Canon. I read it, and reviewed for every chapter. I PMed her/him to ask if she/he could start up again, and he/she said they'd try. **

**You can find it in Kuyeng13's C2 – The Best AU Fanfics I Can Find – or something of that nature. You could also find it if you go to my profile and go under Author's Favorites. **

**Please read it you guys – it's simply AMAZING and her/his work is positively ASTOUNDING!**

**Enjoy!**

**Shackled in Chains**

**Epilogue**

**Unbound in Promise**

"_Sasuke!" He cried, glancing around the room. "Sasuke, where are you?"_

"_It's no use, Naruto." _

_He whirled to see Tsunade looking at him, eyes sad and regretful. Naruto's eyes widened, but before he could reply, the Hokage continued, shifting her gaze down to the ground._

"_You shouldn't have done that Naruto – you shouldn't have tried to free Sasuke. It didn't work Naruto – he's dead. You killed him. As you did everyone else – including me, including yourself." _

"_What?" Naruto asked, unable to believe it. His limbs had frozen from shock. "No – there's no way! And even if we ARE all dead, why isn't he with us?" _

"_Don't you see, Naruto?" Tsunade asked him, her eyes suddenly burning with a fire Naruto could only describe as the devil's. "You failed – you'll never see Sasuke again – EVER! Your failure made you all alone Naruto – blame yourself!" _

"_No! Tsunade!" Naruto cried as the Hokage vanished in a burst of flame. He could feel tears streaming down his face. "__**TSUNADE!**__"_

_Only silence answered him. _

His awakening was difficult – he was so _tired_, so _sore_ – but there was something in the air around him that forced him to open eyes that never wanted to experience light again – eyes that never wanted to awaken and see the ugly truth that yes, everyone was _dead_, but when he DID awaken, those same eyes met worried cocoa brown ones.

"Oh – NARUTO!"

Powerful arms embraced him, and he blinked.

"Ts…Tsunade-baa-chan?" He murmured sleepily over her shoulder.

_But… aren't you dead? Aren't I dead?_

The Hokage released him, shaking her head with a thankful smile on her face.

"Oh – Naruto you fool! You had us worried sick! Your entire squad has been constantly biting their nails over you!" Her eyes regained that stern, disapproving look as she set her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you attempted to save that Uchiha! You may have the power of the Kyuubi but that's NO reason to try something so foolish –"

At the mention of that name Naruto's mind clicked into action. He leaped out of the bed.

"Tsunade! Where's Sasuke? The last thing I saw before I fainted was him standing right in front of me! Please tell me where he is!"

_Please let him not be dead –_

At the mention of Sasuke, Tsunade's eyes turned dark and she looked away, hands clenched at her sides. Naruto – for one, horrifying moment – thought she was going to say Sasuke was dead, that his Chakra had destroyed him from the inside out – that he and the Kyuubi had failed.

_Please God let that not be true –_

When the Hokage spoke again, her voice was bitter.

"Check the roof."

Naruto was gone in an instant.

Gasping, he ran to the roof and slammed open the door, eyes wide.

The fence had been removed after their battle on the roof years before, and all the blonde saw was a dark shape, outlined against the bright circle of the setting sun. Long black hair flew back like a long cape in the wind as the other stood on the very edge of the roof, arms at their sides.

Naruto couldn't believe it. When he spoke, his voice was quiet – as if one word spoken too loudly would crush everything he had worked so hard for ever since Sasuke had first left all those years ago.

"Sasuke…?"

There was silence, and Naruto – for an instant – thought that he had called the wrong name – that that WASN'T Sasuke, that Sasuke was lying dead in that dungeon and Tsunade didn't have the heart to tell him – the thought terrified him, sent cold waves of horror crashing through his system and he fought against the tears welling in his eyes.

_Answer me dammit –_

The figure turned around, and Naruto was looking into eyes of darkest night and most eternal power.

"_Naruto?" _

This time, the blonde couldn't stop the tears that fell. He leaped forward.

"SASUKE!"

His arms wrapped around a thin, pale frame that had experienced years without sun, effortlessly picking it up and spinning it around in joy, black hair getting into his eyes and the scent of rain and wildflowers washing over him.

Frail arms wrapped around his neck as well, returning the embrace as the other laughed.

_He's real. _Naruto thought numbly. _He's not dead – he's alive – we did it, Kyuubi!_

The demon-fox answered with a pleased purr, and Naruto – finally – set the other down, his skin tingling with elation.

Before the other could speak, Naruto's hands snapped up to grasp the other's face, pulling it to him.

"God I love you!"

Their lips connected, and Naruto felt a crackling of electricity shoot through his frame as the other shuddered against him, his lips soft and warm and so _alive _against Naruto's own. The blonde wrapped his arms around the other, pressing their bodies close together and thanking God that his nightmare had proven false.

The other relaxed against him, returning the frantic caresses with soft, reassuring ones of his own. Someone spoke to Naruto in his mind.

"_Naruto, don't worry. I'm okay – all thanks to you. I owe you my life." _

Definitely crying now, Naruto pulled away and put the other at arm's length, his hand now on the other's face once more.

The face was still young, but the years of imprisonment had etched a mark upon the younger man that Naruto sensed immediately – a mark of wisdom and a tiredness only people who have seen the horrors of the earth would ever possess.

Naruto let the tears fall unabashedly as he surveyed the other before him, laughing and smiling despite the tears.

The other smiled back at him, and a slender hand rose, brushing loose, unruly blonde bangs from Naruto's head with a feather soft touch.

"_My dear savior…" _the voice was like an angel's song in Naruto's mind. _"…why are you crying?" _

Naruto laughed.

"Because I'm happy, you idiot!" He exclaimed to the other, taking his hand and placing it over the pale one, holding the hand to his cheek and grinning. "I'm happy that you're alive – that you're free! I'm happy you're here with me!"

The other merely looked at him, and then he gave Naruto a small, warm smile.

"_Yes. I'm happy to be here with you too. Thanks to you – I'm unbound from those hateful chains and free once more! I never even began to imagine you would actually save me, Naruto. But nonetheless…" _He leaned into Naruto's offered embrace, burying his face into the crook of the blonde's throat. _"I'm glad you did. Thank you." _

"Sasuke…" Naruto breathed. "Why can't you talk normally?"

The other shifted slightly in his arms.

"_Don't forget – I haven't used my mouth for years. I have forgotten how to. But that's okay." _

Naruto could feel the smile that the other had on his flesh.

"_I'm comfortable like this. Like this – with you." _

Naruto smiled, the tears falling down his face and into Sasuke's hair.

"Yeah – I'm comfortable like this too."

There was silence for a moment as the two basked in the other's glow.

"Sasuke?"

"_Yes?"_

"Promise me you'll never vanish again."

The other raised his head, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck and setting his lips on Naruto's, the touch gentle and reassuring. Immediately, Naruto responded, pressing his hands into the smaller back as warmth filled him from toe to head. At that moment, he knew they were free – free and unbound from the chains of worry and power that shackled them both and now they could be together forever – no matter how cheesy that sounded. Now, promises and love would be the only things that would ever hold them to anything or each other.

"_I promise." _

That was the one promise never broken.

**End Epilogue – Unbound in Promise**

**End Shackled in Chains**

**Woo! –wipes off sweat- That took a lot of effort to finish, ya know?**

**But, yep – it's done! Makes me kinda sad, really…**

**Interesting Facts:**

**One chapter was ACTUALLY written on the roots of a Redwood tree in Orgeon – we had managed to snag a campsite kinda close to the trees. So while I was charging up my laptop near the bathrooms, I was actually SITTING on a root of a tree less than five feet away from the door:D The tree itself wasn't that tall – maybe like two hundred feet – but it was still an unbelievable experience!**

**Now for the Technical Interesting Facts That Don't Include A/N's:**

**Words: 6,945**

**Pages: 22**

**Lines: 1,071**

**Paragraphs: 377**

**End Technical Interesting Facts**

**Thank God for Word Count, yeah:D**

**Well, thank you so much everyone, for sticking with this story! It makes me so happy, and I can't thank you enough!**

_**Samairi, PerfectInsanity, nellie330,**_

**_Sess-goddess, Dragon77, DracosQueen180,_**

**_palinana, Kakashis-First-Kiss, LeiseFlustern,_**

**_Nadramon, loneliness is killing me, dark galaxy,_**

**_'Shi.no.Tenshi.desu', marina-uzukami-potter, Kit.Koneko.Uchiha.Kagehisa,_**

**_Kuyeng13, FlyingShadow666, cip, Dark Soda, _**

**_naruandsasumine, Vimuku, mirrored-gaze,_**

**_Anonymous Sister of the Aut..., x-Deidara-x, sAyUrI-aNbU,_**

**_AngelSachiya, DevilGirl5, Wolfgirl21,_**

**_Simple-Minded-Idiot, Pic's-Pixie, zeppelin13,_**

**_Silver Sailor Ganymede, Luna-Lunak, Jaiden Lockheart,_**

**_DarkMiko13, Sober4aDay, JadeAnime, _**

**_Tazeredfrog, FullmetalPikachu, _and _darktenshi17_!**

**Thank you so much for all of your reviews! And I thank the new reviewers that I haven't put on here that might send me reviews! All of you are so dear to me, and writing this has been a blast!**

**Take care!**

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**

**__**


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